At a midnight screening Monday, blogger Alex Billington became annoyed by constant texting and emailing at a screening for press and industry. After first complaining to theatre managers, Billington called police.

A scene from "The Sacrament," which screened in the Midnight Madness section of TIFF Monday night. A blogger annoyed by cellphone use during the screening called 911 after failing to get satisfaction from the theatre's managers.

Billington told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the emergency dispatcher laughed at him over his concerns about in-theatre phone use.

On Twitter, the blogger also took issue with TIFF staff at the screening, who he claimed didn’t take seriously his concerns about piracy.

At one point, he tweeted at TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey: “I think industry phone use is a MAJOR issue that needs to be discussed NOW before it ruins integrity of TIFF. Let’s meet.”

Jennifer Bell, TIFF vice-president of communications, said in an emailed statement that festival organizers have “strong anti-piracy measures” in place, including possible use of night vision goggles to spot illicit filming during screenings.

“We regret to hear that a press delegate felt his experience of a press and industry screening was compromised, however we firmly believe that 911 is for emergencies only,” Bell said.

“The festival does not have a policy on cellphone use in press and industry screenings, but we do ask all audiences to turn off and store phones and smartphones. . . . We have taken the journalist’s feedback under consideration, but the festival does not have plans to change policy for the 2013 festival.”